1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having a retaining member configured to be inserted within an insertion space of the electrical connector to retain electrical terminals positioned within terminal receiving chambers of the electrical connector.
2. Description of Background Information
An example of a prior art electrical connector of the type including a retaining element provided therefor is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,854. The prior art electrical connector disclosed therein includes a pair of terminal receiving chambers in which electrical terminals are received, and the electrical terminals may include female terminals having a resilient contact portion disposed therein. The terminal receiving chambers include resilient locking pieces for retaining the electrical terminals within the terminal receiving chambers. A cap-like retaining element is provided to overlie and surround the terminal receiving chambers, and the retaining member includes an elongate projection configured to engage within a slot of the terminal receiving chambers to press and hold the electrical terminals to prevent the terminals from becoming "loose" and to maintain alignment of the terminal held within the terminal receiving chamber.
However, because the cap-like retaining member is mounted over the outer end of the terminal receiving chamber, an amount of play may occur between the cap member and the terminal receiving chamber resulting in an amount of looseness of the terminal. Furthermore, due to the configuration of the retaining member as a cap-like member, an aperture is provided in the outer end of the cap to permit communication of an electrical terminal of another half of the connector for engagement of the second electrical terminal with the first electrical terminal. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,854, the aperture within the cap-like retaining member is sized and positioned such that no access is possible with the outer end of the electrical terminal housed within the terminal receiving chamber. Thus, access by a probe pin of a test unit can only be made to the interior portion of the electrical terminal which causes contact with the resilient contact portion of the terminal and which may result in damage to the electrical terminal.
Another prior art electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,696. The prior art electrical connector disclosed in this patent also includes terminal receiving chambers having resilient locking pieces that are resiliently biased to engage and retain an electrical terminal inserted therein. However, the terminal receiving chambers disclosed therein have a lower wall that includes the resilient locking piece, and the lower wall itself is resiliently deflectable to provide a latching arrangement for the electrical terminal inserted therein. Furthermore, a retaining member having an upwardly oriented latching pawl at a first end and a plurality of guide rails positioned along an upper surface thereof and extending to the second end, is insertable within the electrical connector with the latching pawl positioned to engage behind the resilient lower wall of the terminal receiving chamber to latch the retaining member in position with the guide rails positioned to engage below the terminal ends to aid in retaining the terminal in position.
However, due to the resilient lower wall of the terminal receiving chambers, the electrical terminal is subject to a "loose" fit, which could cause misalignment of and damage to the electrical terminal retained therein.
Additionally, neither of the above-described prior art electrical connectors provide the operator with any indication as to when the retaining member is properly and completely installed, and neither is provided with any structural configuration or means to facilitate the removal of the retaining member in the event disassembly of the electrical connector and the electrical terminals retained therein becomes desirable or necessary. Furthermore, neither of the above-described prior art electrical connectors provide structure to ensure that a probe pin of a test device, or other electrical component, can establish contact with only the outermost end of the electrical terminal received within the terminal receiving chamber to preclude damage to the electrical terminal that may be caused due to the probe pin entering the electrical terminal.